Page 85 of Jace
“You were supposed to find your sister, Sasha, as well.” His voice gets a tone I’ve never heard. There’s compassion in it. “Though I am not surprised it took one of your queens to find her.” He’s referencing Alena, who rescued Sasha. “I have taught you all well. My kings have chosen their queens wisely. They must be strong to endure us.”
I snarl, “You haven’t taught us a fucking thing but how to hurt and hate. But funny—is it not—the only one we hate isyou?”
He flinches? Hurt?
Holy fuck.
Did Sire donate a kidneyanda heart to this man? He may be rejecting both, but they’re apparently making him human.
“Perhaps.” He raises a wiry eyebrow. “But youloveher: Vivian Tate. You are here for her, on a mission with your brother, Grigori.” Grant. He knows about Grant too. “Perhaps you need my help, my power. Perhaps we can make an arrangement.”
I huff a cold laugh. “An arrangement for my kidney?”
He nods, hopeful, rueful, and I can’t resist.
I tsk. “Don’t know. That’ll be an awfully big scar on my pretty body.” I lower my glare. “But then again… I’d finally match the scars you whipped across my mother’s back, burned on Sire’s chest, cut into Axel’s feet, and lashed over Grant’s arms. You ready to confront them like a man? The proof of your abuse?”
He looks away. I’ve never seen remorse on his face until this moment.
“Speak,Father, if you want me to save your life.” I say that word like the poison I’ll make him sip.
Hewilladmit it.
“That was years ago.” He can’t look at me. “Mistakes were made.”
“Mistakes?” I could crack. I could kill him. I could choke him to death right here. But that would be too swift when this is sure. “No, you mean you abused children and women. You know, like my mother. Like your daughter, Sasha. Funny—is it not—how she hates you too?” I lower myself to his ear. To brand it into his soul. “No one loves you, Ruslan.”
I say the truth we all fear.
The reason we all live is the only thing we have when we die.
Love.
And he has none.
Not even his scheming trophy wife, Katya, is here. Think she abandoned him after he gave her son with Axel back to Axel.
Ruslan’s lost everyone, and it’s clear he wants us back. He needs us. Not just for our blood and organs. He needs to know someone cares for him before he dies.
It turns his eyes to mine, and they’re brimming with pain.
Shocked, I swallow down an emotion I didn’t expect. Empathy.
Then again, it’s how our mother raised us. Our love was her victory.
I rise, remembering everything she taught us, and everything we fight for. Staring down my nose at him, I command, “If you want an arrangement with me. If you want to see your daughter again. Your sons again. You will get on your knees and apologize to them from the bottom of the heart you’ve finally found.”
He blinks with an imperceptible nod, but I see it. Ruslan is broken, and he wants to bury his pieces in peace.
So I give his soldier my number, and I get his.
Guess I’ve got a new plan.
Guess I’m saving my abuser’s life.
Guess I’m a better man than him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
